Rat Bikes! Pub Bikes Beaters! Frankenbikes!

i'm thinking of getting a genesis madison alu track bike for general hacking around/locking up places - I can get a good price on it and would like to make it look as unappealing to thieves as possible, any tips for ratting it up?

try make things not shiny, like paint any chrome parts grey, i notice that a lot.

Wrap frame in electrical tape

http://www.humbrol.com/paints/rail-colours/ab2402-rust-rc402/
and
http://www.humbrol.com/humbrol-weathering-powders/

No-one will want the bike of a model train enthusiast...

Don't clean it. Cover it in stickers. Put some rusty parts on it. Attach a bull terrier to guard it at all times.

This. Keeps away magpies too

rattle can it all over.

No need, it's a Genesis Madison.

Jus saying.

YES! touch of class with the bars

solid find.

i'm thinking of getting a genesis madison alu track bike for general hacking around/locking up places - I can get a good price on it and would like to make it look as unappealing to thieves as possible, any tips for ratting it up?

I think it's a bit odd to mess up a new bike so I'd probably just buy a Dolan. Less likely to get nicked and you won't care about it if it does.

If you are set on a Madison then this:

Wrap frame in electrical tape

Is a much better idea than faux-rating a new bike. Plus if you get bored of it or need to sell you can just strip it and it'll be in vgc. Plus if you're getting a deal on it you'll hopefully mighy break even.

my work bike from a couple of years ago, didn't paint or primer it but rode it all winter. needless to say it didn't end well

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Here is my beater. It's a Concorde PDM Videocassettes team bike (you can see the remnants of the number plate hanger braze on on the top tube in the last pic) that was built by Pelizzoli. I picked up the frameset (with the Mavic headset) at a local swap meet for $120. The ziptie is to keep the headbadge from rattling around since it's kind of loose

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/S-VINTAGE-TANDEM-STEEL-FRAME-1930S-52CM-/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/-k8AAOxycERRlQwa/$T2eC16NHJIIE9qTYI1YSBRlQwZuP!Q~~60_12.JPG

Dat patina

Dat rust?

^^^ Move that basket in; either DIY shorter struts or find some others.
http://waldsports.com/index.cfm/198gbxextendablebasketlegs.html

those baskets only fit really big bikes unless you drill them, stupid design really

There's lots of room to move it in, the only stupid thing is that they don't offer a variety of strut lengths while purchasing.
internetmeasuretape

I ziptied mine in a lower position, plan to drill and cut it at some point.

+lots to the annoying non-fit of Walds.

Mine was even fitted to a big bike and wouldn't sit right. Bodged it with the brackets from a Basil though.

serious stem (& headset) envy.
Nice bike mate

this was made as an emergency bike to replace a peacemaker that suffered a twisted chainstay due what seems to be too powerful pedaling...

not mine though. loving the silver hplussons on a mtb

I think it's a bit odd to mess up a new bike so I'd probably just buy a Dolan. Less likely to get nicked and you won't care about it if it does.

If you are set on a Madison then this:

Is a much better idea than faux-rating a new bike. Plus if you get bored of it or need to sell you can just strip it and it'll be in vgc. Plus if you're getting a deal on it you'll hopefully mighy break even.

I'm getting it through work so it will be cheaper than building up a Dolan, I did consider that as I used to have a pre-cursa and really enjoyed it.

So i'm thinking electrical tape and lots of stickers to make it look unnappealing - anything to get rid of that new bike look. Swapping out the white contact points for black, will sort some locking bolts out for the front wheel/stem/seatpost and buy a couple of decent locks

Winner winner chicken dinner! That's just a killer in my eyes. My knees are starting to give in and something like this is starting to look more tempting everyday. One of my favourite bikes on this thread for sure.

+lots to the annoying non-fit of Walds.

Mine was even fitted to a big bike and wouldn't sit right. Bodged it with the brackets from a Basil though.

Considering the low cost of these things, I have no problem with them.
Setting a Wald up requires a little patience and metal manipulation, but we're not dealing with Tubus engineering here.

Considering the low cost of these things, I have no problem with them.
Setting a Wald up requires a little patience and metal manipulation, but we're not dealing with Tubus engineering here.

Och aye, they are easy cheap enough that it makes it acceptable.

Also, between the Basil, a Blackburn front rack and the Wald the Wald is by far and away the easiest/best to use.

Totally on the look out for a road bike to build something like the bike above.

I'm curious as to what people here generally carry in a front rack, beyond alcohol.
I'm asking because I removed my Wald when I found that I wasn't using it enough to justify the extra weight and riding characteristics.
My problem may be that I'm within 8-10 minutes walk of at least 5 grocery stores (3 of which are organic specialists), plus an Italian and a German market, a couple of halal corner shops, a wine store and an LC (Liquor Commission, where the whole range of alcoholic beverages may be purchased).

Posted this a while back, but i love this picture, you can tell there's a lot of history to it.

I'm curious as to what people here generally carry in a front rack, beyond alcohol.
I'm asking because I removed my Wald when I found that I wasn't using it enough to justify the extra weight and riding characteristics.
My problem may be that I'm within 8-10 minutes walk of at least 5 grocery stores (3 of which are organic specialists), plus an Italian and a German market, a couple of halal corner shops, a wine store and an LC (Liquor Commission, where the whole range of alcoholic beverages may be purchased).

Any flats to let with decent bike and skateboard storage available near yours? lol